Unbroken (ShaylinxNicole)
by UntamedIgnition
Summary: *SPOILERS FROM REVEALED* Zoey doesn't know what to do after being arrested, she's completely given up on herself. Her friends, shocked and afraid, know it is only a matter of time before Neferet strikes, and that makes them more determined than ever to get their Zoey back. But some people have drama of their own, and as Shaylin and Nicole discover: it's not easy keeping secrets.
1. Unbroken 1

**THIS STORY CONTAINS HUGE SPOILERS FROM REVEALED. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK, I STRONGLY URGE YOU NOT TO READ EVEN THE FIRST SENTENCE.**

**This story has Shaycole and continues from where the book left off. I don't know how long it will be, but enjoy! Also, with that said, I own none of the characters or rights to House Of Night series. All that goodness goes to the awesome authors: PC and Kristin Cast. **

**Shaylin's POV**

Shaylin sighed and looked up to the midnight sky. It was pretty out here, silent and comforting - as the darkness often was. It was nice to get away from the troubled scene that had just played out right in front of her. Zoey had just been taken off by the human police: arrested for killing two men. What had she gotten herself into? Shaylin assumed it had something to do with that seer stone Zoey always held close; judging that back when she had felt Zoey's wrath it didn't feel like an element that had knocked Shaylin off of her feet. It felt old and powerful. Shaylin, using her small time of being a fledgling and perceptive skills (which were, she thought, sadly lacking by recent events), had concluded it must have been the 'Old Magick' Zoey and everybody constantly went on about.  
After Zoey was taken, all hell broke loose. Stark, heartbroken and afraid, had started yelling, trying to run after the police and take Zoey back by force, but was immediately stopped by Kalona, who had arrived on the scene. Everybody, including Shaylin herself, had been whispering frantically to themselves, like one of those crazy old men you meet on the subway, and Shaylin knew everyone was saying the same thing: "Oh Goddess, no!"

It was a horrible event to witness. Much worse, Shaylin thought, than the day she had just experienced with Nicole. She didn't understand it - nor did she try to - but Shaylin knew that little kiss shared with Nicole was one she liked very much. She knew when it first happened that she was freaked out about it - but who wouldn't be? Shaylin was a girl and so was Nicole. That was never something Shaylin expected, but sitting there with Nicole's arm around her, the comforting words being whispered softly into her ear and the relaxing blend of Nicole's colours just seemed right. It felt good, and although Shaylin had been freaked at first, it became apparent very quickly after (by Nicole's cute blush and apologetic words) that Shaylin hadn't minded that little peck on the lips. In fact, she had wanted more, which was when everything clicked. It was also when all hell broke loose, and suddenly Shaylin had no time to digest anything, or even process everything that was happening, because her mind had become jumbled with an overload of explosive events. She had no time for personal drama, and she had no time for 'save-the-world-or-we-all-die' drama either, because in that moment she had to focus on the whole 'how-to-get-Zoey-back-so-we-don't-all-die' drama; and it was still going on. Shaylin just wasn't apart of it - she needed a breather. Hence, how she arrived in the open, cool air, looking up at the silky moonlit sky as she finally found the time to think for herself.

Erik was cute, that much was certain, but Shaylin never found herself attracted to him. To her, his attention was, although flattering, beginning to get annoying. He hadn't attempted to ask her out yet, and she didn't know that he would, but Shaylin was afraid that day (or night in her case) would come, and she didn't like rejecting people. It was Nicole kissing her that made Shaylin realise why she didn't want Erik to ask her out: she was gay.  
Or at least, Shaylin thought she was.  
How did she know what gay was? It's not like she had experience in the matter. All she knew was that when Erik's arm was around her, all she could think about is what they would be serving for dinner, and how large and bony his arm felt around her. Nicole's arm didn't feel like that. It felt safe and warm, her touch relaxing and her voice silky and soft, her words like a soothing blanket that seemed to extinguish her troubles - at least for a little while. Now, it seemed, Nicole had added to them.  
"It was stupid of me to think I could escape drama by becoming a fledgling." Shaylin said her thought aloud, wrapping an arm around herself to help soothe some of the tension building within her. It was no wonder Zoey had snapped like she had. All the stress of boyfriends, humans, petty fights, the vampire council and Neferet threatening to destroy them all would be an unbearable level of toxic drama. Combine that with the meddling Old Magick of a seer stone? You've got one fire that won't go out with any amount of comforting talks, friends, or alcohol. Only channeling all her rage and frustration into two men in the wrong place at the wrong time could help Zoey see just how far she had fallen into madness. Now she had turned herself in, consumed by guilt, despite the fact Shaylin didn't believe it was Zoey's fault. Shaylin had a theory, one she thought was a little far-fetched, but then so was a winged immortal falling from the sky and having demon babies. Shaylin believed that the seer stone was powerful - more powerful than originally believed - and that it was absorbing Zoey's anger - propelling it to a point where it caused Zoey to explode, to lash out on anyone around her. That's why she had killed those two men.

"That's why Zoey hurt me. She didn't mean to, she just wasn't thinking straight. It was the stone's unknown power that had caused such poo." Shaylin walked over to the fountain that was centered in the middle of the garden, and traced a pattern in the water. She pulled strength from her element and immediately felt calmer. "But I haven't been thinking very 'straight' lately, either." Shaylin sighed again, not meaning to have said it so loud, because in the comforting silence it was almost like she had screamed her words.  
It was then another voice, a familiar voice, velvety smooth and seductive like melted dark chocolate, called out to her. "Who's not thinking straight?"  
Shaylin felt her body tense at being caught by the one person that shouldn't have heard her say that. She turned around, gripping the fountain with both hands so hard she was sure her knuckles had gone white, and then cleared her throat to buy her some time. "All of us." Shaylin heard herself saying. "We're all in such a mess recently it's hard to focus on anything."  
Nicole gave a small, cute smile, and in retaliation to the nerves that built in Shaylin's stomach, she gripped the fountain harder. Nicole, almost shyly, made her way towards her.  
"You know," Nicole said, her voice turning just that little bit deeper in a way that made her seem all the more appealing. "us red vamps have better hearing than the blue, so while a blue may not have heard what you said, I did. I was just polite enough to let it slide."

Shaylin felt herself blush at being caught and abruptly turned around to the fountain. She stared hard at her reflection, hoping and praying to Nyx that the water would suck her in. The familiar crunch of the grass behind her told Shaylin that Nicole was moving closer, and she made herself speak. "Oh." She said, shocked at feeling a hand on her back, a finger drawing intricate patterns - much like she had in the fountain. Shaylin had to try her hardest not to shiver under Nicole's gentle touch, and again forced herself to speak, but this time it wasn't much more than a feeble, shaky whisper. "And what is your opinion on what I said?" Shaylin didn't know why she had asked, but she felt the need. At the soft traces of Nicole's touch on her back she felt desire tug at her heart, and she found herself asking the question, immediately regretting it but saying nothing as she resisted the overwhelming urge to relax into her touch.  
"I think..." Nicole said, her voice a whisper and seductive like a fly to a Venus Fly Trap. "that you liked it just as much as I did." Shaylin felt herself gulp, and two arms wrapped around her waist. "Tell me Shaylin, am I wrong?" She felt Nicole's hot breath on her ear, her stomach feeling so nervous she thought she might throw up and that same intense desire; which propelled her to turn around and meet Nicole's beautiful eyes.  
"You're...urgh, you're not wrong."  
Shaylin wanted to hit herself at her stupidity. Nicole was being flawless: a seductive, confident Goddess with the most beautifully sculpted appearance and the silky words of temptress, but Shaylin couldn't string together one sentence. "You're blush is one of the cutest things I've ever seen." Nicole said, a smile on her face as she leaned forward and slowly, unsurely, connected their lips. The first thought to enter Shaylin's mind was: _this_ was a kiss. Not that little peck the two shared earlier, not the time she kissed Mathew Morris in fourth grade, but this. Shaylin's whole body felt electrified, her mind free of all thoughts yet cluttered with them as she passionately returned Nicole's kiss as well as she could muster. The nerves in her stomach ignited into fireworks, the desire, the need, tugging at her heart becoming more prominent as Nicole wrapped an arm around Shaylin possessively. It felt like only a moment before they parted, panting as their heads rested together.  
"That was..." Shaylin didn't know what to say. "that was great."  
Nicole laughed lightly, and Shaylin joined her. Great, both girls thought, was an understatement, but neither would say. It hung in the air, clear but unspoken, and suddenly Nicole's laughter stopped as she took Shaylin's hand in her own. Shaylin met her eyes, noticing how serious they were now, and the butterflies in her stomach increased. "Shaylin, will you go on a date with me?"  
Her heart stopped.

Shaylin was into this just as much as Nicole - if not more - but what of the looks? The judges and stares? She was already so confused about who she was, Shaylin didn't know if she could handle it all at once. Then, there was the problem of school. They weren't allowed to leave, so how could they have a date? "Nicole." Shaylin said, and Nicole sighed, muttering a profanity under her breath; she knew what was coming. "Nicole, I think I really like you, but I-" She used her free hand to rub the back of her neck in uncertainty. "-this is all so new to me. Not to mention we can't even leave the school grounds."  
Nicole nodded sadly, as if expecting her answer, and she grabbed Shaylin's other hand, entwining their fingers together. "It's as new to me as it is to you, Shaylin. I didn't expect this either. I mean, Jesus! If my parent's knew I was a..." She hesitated, her eyes darting up to the night sky before she continued. "whatever I am, they would kill me. But I want this Shaylin. I want you."  
At her heartwarming words, Shaylin pulled Nicole closer to her and deeply gulped in Nicole's fresh scent. She smelt amazing, Shaylin noted, and her intensity to be with this girl only grew. "Okay." she whispered. "I'll go on a date with you."  
Nicole cheered, triumphant, and kissed Shaylin's forehead. "Great!" she grinned. "And as for the issue of not being able to leave school, we don't have to. I'll think of something." Shaylin smiled then, feeling the happiness consume her heart. At least in all this evil, messed up drama, Shaylin had something to look forward to.

**Zoey's POV**

Zoey didn't know what she was going to do. All she knew was that she, in cold blood, had murdered two men, with no justification except the fact that they robbed lone girls. It was disgusting. It was so disgusting, it made Zoey's heart break one hundred times over at just how sickening it was. At how sickening _she_ was. Although, Zoey wasn't an idiot. She knew that seer stone, given to her by Sgiach, had something to do with her anger boiling over. That cursed stone was the reason she was in here, combined with her never-ending stress, of course.  
Detective Marx sat opposite a crying Zoey as she shook her heard, muttering: "I deserve this." again and again as he sat, patiently watching her with a confused (for lack of a better word) look on his face. He was completely bewildered. After all, how could a girl as pure and good as Zoey Redbird, who helped find that missing boy, Heath, be capable of such an unspeakable act? The answer, Marx believed, was simple. The vampires, Zoey especially, were keeping secrets from the humans. Secrets that since the beginning, Zoey had been very reluctant to divulge. There was a lot more behind Heath's disappearance than some drunkard, and there was a lot more behind this than some "anger that got out of control", to quote Zoey. Detective Marx didn't know what it was, but he was determined to find out. One way, or another.  
"Zoey?" he said softly, sliding a packet of tissues over to her. "Just tell me the truth, I can help you!" Marx had been trying for a long time to get the truth from Zoey, but he just didn't understand. Zoey was supposed to be the Goddess' chosen one, to fight Darkness and win, but now, it seemed, she was becoming Dark herself. He just couldn't understand how much that killed her, and that's why she turned herself in. She had to pay for what she had done, and the only way that was possible was to be locked far away from anyone that she could hurt. She wasn't going to plead her case, because she wanted to be punished. Zoey felt she needed to be punished, she had to pay for what she had done.  
But in Zoey's eyes, nothing would remove the killer weight of betrayal she had just performed, to everyone she had ever loved.


	2. Unbroken 2

**Shaylin's POV**  
"Oh, for shit's sake! All of you need to calm down!" Aphrodite's voice immediately silenced the flustered crowd of worried friends and Shaylin wasn't surprised at the power she had over them. Shaylin had been told that when Zoey was gone, Aphrodite and Stevie Rae had led the group, because they couldn't even put two and two together they were so consumed by grief. "I did not spend weeks helping Zoey's arrow boy get to the Otherworld to fix her shattered soul, just so she could go to shitty human jail!" Aphrodite sighed, running a hand through her long blonde mane which, in all honesty, Shaylin was jealous of. Not that she'd ever tell Aphrodite that. "Humans can not lock up the most powerfully gifted vampire of all time. They need her if they want to live, and so do we." Aphrodite turned herself to meet Thanatos' hard gaze, and again she spoke. "We just need to explain to Detective Marx the situation, that way we can get her the hell out of their so she can defeat Neferet's busted, creeper ass. I know the damn story is pretty unbelievable, but you've heard Zoey say how dependable Detective Marx is. We can talk to him. He can help us."  
The fact that Aphrodite, Queen of the Human Haters, was suggesting the vampires went to one for help was a big deal. Thanatos sighed, and just for a moment she looked her true age. "Telling humans the truth is not an option. As I said before, if we open up the well structured barriers between human and vampire we destroy our safety, and then it is only a matter of time before The Burning Times begin again. They wouldn't understand what hangs in the balance, they would only be so warped by fear they would act on the smallest inconvenience made by the vampires. It would get to a stage where if they told us to jump, we'd ask how high."  
Just by looking at Aphrodite's face, Shaylin knew she was beyond angry. "So you want us to do nothing?! Just leave our friend and the only person in the whole universe who can stop Neferet, to rot in a fucking prison cell?"  
Thanatos clenched her jaw, a spark of disapproval passing through her gaze before she spoke, carefully, calmly, which only seemed to annoy Aphrodite more. "I am saying we need to let this settle. We all need to meditate on this tragic event and see where to go from there. Perhaps, after we have cleared our minds and processed our ideas carefully, we will have the means to free Zoey. Although now there is nothing we can do for her." It was then Thanatos turned and left the room, taking their only source of hope with her. Kalona, as usual, was hot on her toes, obediently following her. Aphrodite was so angry it almost seemed like she was going to hit someone, but she settled for stomping her feet and yelling every swear known to mankind. She swore at anyone who tried to calm her down, and even Darius was having trouble taming her. But eventually, after much hassle, he managed, and the loud, frantic chatter began anew.

Shaylin sighed and looked down to the floor, her shoulders feeling heavy with remorse as she blanked out the voices of those around her and tried to focus solely on relieving her stress. She had found that the best way to tackle a problem and find a solution was not to wait, but to quickly try and remove any and all stress, because it allowed you to think with an open mind. If that didn't work, you just acted. You just did what had to be done without hesitation. Shaylin didn't much like the alternative, but it was something that had to be considered should her primary idea, the one that had worked well in the past, failed her. As Shaylin looked up from the floor her gaze met a gorgeous, unforgettable pair of eyes. Nicole smiled lightly at Shaylin, and Shaylin felt herself smile back, but the nerves in her stomach caused quite the distraction. Shaylin remembered that not one hour ago the two had shared a kiss so tender, she thought she might melt. Shaylin wanted that again. What better way to relieve stress than to kiss Nicole? Or touch her, at least. Just being with her seemed to help soothe Shaylin, and she guessed that was because Nicole was good at calming her. She could still feel the lingering warmth of Nicole's lips against hers, and she didn't want that feeling to leave. It was then, slowly, discreetly, that Nicole winked at Shaylin, and she felt the warmth enter her face. It was also then that Aphrodite stormed over, calmer than before, to talk with Shaylin.  
"Hey Shaylin, we need to figure out what the hell to do about Zoey. I have a feeling that we need to get her out of there before her sentence, or we're not getting her out at all." Shaylin nodded at Aphrodite's words, not really hearing them, because she was distracted by Nicole. Shaylin couldn't help looking at her, the girl who was now talking to Stevie Rae, but her eyes seemed to dart back and forth between Stevie Rae and her. It felt good to know that Nicole wanted to talk to Shaylin, after all, they hadn't exactly set a date for their date. Shaylin looked back to Aphrodite, who was still talking, and ran a finger across her lips. That kiss had changed Shaylin's life. Goddess knows, she wanted to do it again. Looking back to Nicole, she was disappointed to see that she was in fact gone, and the pout that appeared on Shaylin's face was entirely accidental, but impossible to stop. "Shaylin? Are you even listening to me?"Immediately she darted her attention back to Aphrodite and nodded, hard, her pout still apparent. "Why are you so flustered?"  
The question shocked Shaylin, because she didn't know what to say. She wouldn't say Nicole - she_ couldn't_ say Nicole. "This whole thing with Zoey is stressing me out."  
"It's stressing us all out, but you need to snap out of it and use your Goddess given gifts to be of some damn help here unlike the rest of these apes. Hear me?"  
Shaylin sighed, nodded. "Of course, but you know I didn't sign up for this whole 'Prophetess' business."  
Aphrodite sighed too, and for once Shaylin saw just how worried and afraid she really was. "Me neither, Shaylin. Me neither."

**Zoey's POV**  
Zoey's holding cell wasn't that efficient for a vampire, and if she had wanted to, she could have escaped easier than pie. Zoey did not want to escape, and so it was not an issue the guards had to worry about. Detective Marx had said that he was coming to get her later today to question her further. Zoey didn't see the point in it. She had said everything there was to say, and admitted to murdering two men in cold blood. What more was there to say? Nothing. They should just take her to prison and leave her to rot, because that is what she deserved.  
Goddess knows what her friends thought of her now. They were probably happy that she, a murderer, was rotting away in prison. Zoey wouldn't have been surprised. She was a terrible person.

_"I deserve this. I deserve this. I deserve this."_

"Zoey?" His voice called out to her, and she silenced herself immediately. Only a second after did Detective Marx appear with a guard next to him, holding a long hoop with multiple keys attached. "Zoey I'm here to take you to questioning now."  
"Fine." Zoey had replied. "But I have nothing more to tell you."

**Shaylin's POV**  
It wasn't until after school the next day Shaylin got to see Nicole. She had pounced on Shaylin carefully, making sure no one was around. Now, Nicole had her pinned against a wall, the two of them hidden behind the stables, where they wouldn't be found. Shaylin had looked very flustered, and to Nicole that only made her more adorable and more appealing. Nicole couldn't help herself, for some reason she felt a need to see her, and that need was identical in Shaylin. Shaylin supposed it was because this girl had not only comforted her in her time of need, but helped her discover something so big about herself, all the while going through it herself.  
"Well hey." Nicole had said. "Fancy meeting you here."  
Shaylin smiled at her, the nerves already building at her cocky little grin. "Small world, I suppose."  
"I suppose."  
The two just stood in silence, locked in eye contact as they waited for the other to back down. Shaylin found herself unwilling to, as Nicole's eyes were so deep and gorgeous she could stare into them forever, and still never know all their secrets...  
Neither of them broke the contact. "So about the date." Nicole said, sounding winded. "I've got something ready for tonight, if that's cool with you."  
Shaylin tried not to seem over-eager in her reply. "That sounds great. Where should I meet you?"  
"Meet me outside our basement in about an hour."  
"An hour?" Shaylin said. "So soon?"  
"Any later and the sun will come up and fry us both, Shaylin."  
Shaylin felt the heat rise to her face. "Oh." She said, finally breaking the eye contact. "Right."  
"Hey." Nicole lifted Shaylin's chin to meet her eyes. She placed a short, sweet kiss onto Shaylin's lips, and she sighed contentedly. As Nicole pulled away, Shaylin felt herself move forward almost instinctively, and Nicole chuckled. "Shaylin, sweetie, although kissing you is absolutely amazing, I think we should leave it until after our date. If you still want to kiss me then, I definitely won't stop you."  
Shaylin pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "But I want to kiss you now, not later." Then, she sighed, blushing again. "Okay, well later as well, but at the moment all I'm concerned about is the now."  
Nicole smiled sweetly, tucking some of Shaylin's hair out of her face before leaning down and kissing Shaylin's nose. "An hour." She whispered, and then she abruptly separated from Shaylin, walking off and leaving her alone and flustered. An hour couldn't come fast enough for Shaylin.

**Aphrodite's POV**  
"All I'm saying is one small factor the police department seem to have overlooked is that when Zoey turns, she's going to need blood. How do they expect to supply it for her?" Gaimean had a point - a good one at that. If you added the whole 'dies without blood' fact to the fact that Zoey wont age, the humans wont have the slightest clue how long to keep her locked up for. It seemed like the gang was finally getting somewhere, without Thanatos' quite unhelpful 'help'.  
"They're going to release her before she even has a trial." Aphrodite said smugly. "There's no way they are going to be able to prosecute a vampire."  
The next voice that spoke was broken and defeated, and immediately Aphrodite knew it was Stark. "You're forgetting one thing." he said. "Zoey doesn't want to be freed."  
"Well, I don't want to die, so she really doesn't have a fucking choice in the matter."  
It was then that the depressing lump that was called Stark, sighed and stood, sluggishly leaving the room in a way that reminded Aphrodite remarkably of the dirty red headed boy, Elliot, who had been banished and sent to die just the other day. When he had left and shut the door, Shaunee spoke. "That boy goes through more PMS than I do, and that's saying something."  
A hiccup of laughter passed through the group as they all agreed to Shaunee's statement. Stark always gave up before he bothered trying. It was only after everyone else - namely Aphrodite - had done the hard work that he even bothered to show his face. They would get Zoey back, and when they did he would regret being so needy about it all. They just needed to figure out some more flaws in the plan, and then they could go straight to Detective Marx with their information.  
The only problem was figuring out those flaws before it was too late.

**Shaylin's POV**  
Exactly one hour later, Shaylin stood eagerly waiting outside the basement, just like Nicole had told her to. She was very excited for what was ahead, knowing that it would end in a complete, blissful kiss that she had waited for since their last. It wasn't like that was all Shaylin thought about, not at all! She also thought about how gorgeous and deep Nicole's eyes were, how silky her voice was, and how pretty her colours were...  
"Shaylin!" A voice exclaimed, and as she turned she noticed it was Nicole, and instantly a smile broke out across her face.  
"Hey!" She said, breathless.  
"Hey yourself." Nicole replied, waggling her eyebrows suggestively and making Shaylin laugh. "Come with me, and put this on." She said, handing Shaylin a blindfold. Obediently, Shaylin put it on, and Nicole took Shaylin's hand in her own. It was funny how fond they were of each other, despite only really getting to know one another over the past couple days. Shaylin didn't find it weird, not at all, in fact being so comfortable with Nicole felt indescribably good. It was almost like Nyx herself wanted this to happen. Shaylin certainly did.  
"Alright." Nicole said, coming to a halt, "We're here."  
Shaylin pulled off her blindfold, shocked at were she was. "This is where the Sons of Erebus warriors are staying. We can't be here!" The worried tone in Shaylin's voice wasn't hard to miss, and immediately she calmed herself. Nicole would have a good reason for taking her here, she wasn't stupid.  
"_Were_ staying." Nicole corrected. "Since Darius is the only one left here, and he spends his nights with Aphrodite, this whole floor is free. No one comes up here."  
Shaylin relaxed. "Huh." She said. "So we're...all alone up here?"  
Nicole nodded. "Yes, and I've got a table set up for us, and our meals are already there."  
Shaylin was touched. Nicole had clearly spent time thinking of all this. "It's great." Shaylin said. "It really is." She turned to Nicole and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you for spending your time thinking about where we could do this alone."  
Nicole smiled back at Shaylin, and thus began one of the best dates Shaylin would ever have.

**A/N: Hey, I'm just updating this to say that sadly, my memory stick decided it would be a good idea to wipe itself (meaning all my stories - this one included) and kill my soul my the process. So now I have to rewrite the whole of Chapter 3, and I'm sorry for any delay it may cause, because honestly I'm really heavy-hearted at the loss of all my stories. Thankfully some of them are backed-up, but not this one (or the actual book I was writing, so that sucks) but I just want to thank you all, my tiny percentage of readers, for putting up with me :p **


End file.
